Sigh! back to the breeding board.

Recently, I decided to stop breeding rats. I was thinking that it was too much work.
Now, after spending $100 a month to feed my brood of snakes.. I am going to breed rats again. I have to get 8 mice and 8 rats at a time; this, 2x a minth, is ludicrous! I would much rather care for the rats and buy their feed and bedding (a meager cost compared to $100 a month!) I do not even spend that much on horse feed/hay a month for 2horses; or for food for my husband and I!!

I plan on going to one of the reputable shops in my area (they actually keep breeding records on their rats, and dno't inbreed) and get new stock from them. my old stock was getting on in years anyhow.. but ARGH! How do people feed live, and afford to do it, without breeding!

I am definatly glad that I kepy my rat caging! Time to set it up again.

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

Recently, I decided to stop breeding rats. I was thinking that it was too much work.
Now, after spending $100 a month to feed my brood of snakes.. I am going to breed rats again. I have to get 8 mice and 8 rats at a time; this, 2x a minth, is ludicrous! I would much rather care for the rats and buy their feed and bedding (a meager cost compared to $100 a month!) I do not even spend that much on horse feed/hay a month for 2horses; or for food for my husband and I!!

I plan on going to one of the reputable shops in my area (they actually keep breeding records on their rats, and dno't inbreed) and get new stock from them. my old stock was getting on in years anyhow.. but ARGH! How do people feed live, and afford to do it, without breeding!

I am definatly glad that I kepy my rat caging! Time to set it up again.

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Sorry to hear the expenses have caught up with ya. Especially now when money is really tight. (at least it is for me)

I don't like to breed rats either, but I would rather breed than pay $40 each week to feed the snakes. It is worth it for me to spend a few hours each week to take care of the rats.

I have a rodent breeder that delivers to the house for a buck fifty a small rat, and 75 cents for mice. I don't buy my mice from him I do breed my own mice. But I do buy rats from him when i can produce enough on my own. I just don't have the room for rat production for 40 snakes. I do buy a box of 30 rats when I do. I wish I had room to breed all my own feeders only because i know they are health. I lost several snakes last year due to poisoned feeders i got from a regional breeder. I would say local but he isn't in the detroit area.

Yeah :/ I am nt a huge fan of breeding rats. I go through phases I guess; neat colors and patterns are fun to work with, but I never let my non-thrilled nature with breeding them, cause them to be neglected or anything.
I do have a large dirt-floor basement to work with potentially. I keep them in my laundry room for now.. but the basement has untapped potential, even if it is a bit dank. But rats like dark, cool places; definately too cold now in the winter, but in summer it could be viable.
I dislike breeding mice because of their smell. But if I did that in the basement.. smell would not be an issue ::ponders.:

We use pelletized horse bedding and the smell isn't that bad. Then again I clean cages regularly about every 5 days. I have several friends that also use my mice colony when its time for hatchlings to eat so I have it up and running right now. come november i usually cut back considerably on breeding mice. If you use pelletized bedding avoid exquine fresh I don't like that stuff I use star bright horse bedding its cheaper 2.

Ever think about ASF Jen?

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Ever think about ASF Jen?

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Actually, yes :) The store where I am getting the rats from, has a trio, but I think they're all males or all females. I am going to see if they'll part with a few.

shoot try feeding 50 or more snakes

While it's breeding season, when most of my snakes aren't realy eatinf much, if any, I'm flling up the freezer breeindg rats all winter......so, when spring comes, and all my snakes are actively eating again, I'll have plenty of "homemade food" in the freezer...:D